Prison For Woman Whose Dog Killed Neighbor

Convicted Of Second Degree Murder, Dog Owner Gets 15 Years To Life In Landmark Case

(AP)  A woman whose dogs viciously attacked and killed her neighbor in the hallway of their apartment building seven years ago was sentenced Monday to 15 years to life in prison.

Marjorie Knoller was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2001 mauling death of Dianne Whipple, but a judge later reduced the charge to involuntary manslaughter and sentenced her in 2002 to a four-year prison term.

But the California Supreme Court last year said the trial judge was wrong and sent the case back. Last month, Superior Court Judge Charlotte Woolard reinstated the murder conviction, for which Knoller was sentenced Monday.

The case is the California's first murder conviction connected to a dog mauling, prosecutors say.

The case turned into a tabloid sensation because of the viciousness of the attack - the dogs tore all of Whipple's clothing from her body and left her with more than 70 bites - and the seemingly cavalier attitudes of Knoller and her law partner and husband, Robert Noel, who blamed Whipple for the attack.

The couple also said they were keeping the canines on behalf of a white supremacist accused of running an attack dog ring from his state prison cell. The couple eventually adopted the prisoner, Paul "Cornfed" Schneider, as their son.

Knoller, who has served three years in prison, will have to serve 12 more years before she can apply for parole.

In denying Knoller's plea for probation, Woolard noted that Knoller didn't call 911 or otherwise try to help Whipple during the 10-minute attack. The judge said Knoller knew the dogs were dangerous, ignored numerous warnings to train them and hasn't expressed remorse for the attack.

"She has blamed the victim and has held her dogs in higher regard than humans," Woolard said.

Whipple's partner, Sharon Smith, addressed Knoller before she was led off to jail. Smith called Knoller's relationship with the two dogs and the prisoner "perverted" and expressed satisfaction with the lengthy prison sentence.

"It is very hard to find forgiveness for someone who doesn't accept responsibility," Smith said.

[smurfcrusher]

Some people simply don''t care. I hope she thinks about this in her stay in the pen - like a dog.

Knoller is a woman who''s ugliness starts at the skin and goes full on through to the soul.

[spinster2]

You have to be seriously warped to sit there and watch your dogs attack someone for ten munutes without doing anything whatsoever. She even seemed smug at the time.

[noirceur]

It says this happened in a apartment hallway,I''m just wondering,did anybody else not hear this womans screams and try to help.

[michaelcook2]

I hope this Knoller woman has nightmares of memories of the attack every night in jail and for the rest of her life.

[DDouville]

A pretty awful ending for Diane Whipple, no one should have to die that way. Hard to believe the way M Knoller acted as in not calling 911 or try to stop the attack that lasted so long. You just can''t imagine someone could be like that. Sad stuff this whole affair. Rest in Peace Diane Whipple would be my hope, and with a little dignity. It''s hard to keep your dignity when you get torn apart like a rag doll I am sure.

[sidney500]

I actually saw her laughing and smirking in court when this first happened....both her and her husband.
She is where she belongs. Diane Whipple died a terrible, aweful death. Those dogs were dangerous, lethal weapons.

[bud28dy]

I hope this Whipple trash gets a delightful welcome from Big Bertha in the shower room.

[oneworldusa]

I hope this sends a message to people who keep breeds of dogs known to attack. If your dog kills someone you will be held accountable.

[dmhphils]

GOOD! !

[yamuttya]

the banality of evil

[tootall10142]

I have a relative that owns a security dog company.His annual insurance is 5000 a year for two million in liabilty insurance.he wears a side arm and would not has not hesitated in the past to shoot one of his animals in a second if they turn rogue.these animals live in fine enviroment and are treated humanely and trained by ex- special forces and police officers and are trained to switch on and off. If the switch breaks the dog goes down.

[formrusmcsgt]

"..sentenced Monday to 15 years to life in prison."
---

And rightly so.

Hopefully, she''ll spend it cleaning up the krap in the prison kennel.....

[mccain081]

I am glad that she was sentenced to 15 tears. She deserved it. this is one of the few times when our justice system actually worked. However the fult falls on both knoller and whipper, knoller should have the dogs trained and called help. But, whipper should have also been carryinng a sidearm or something like that. My dad does has a legal sidearm and wouldnt have been afraid of shooting this dog. Every person should have a way self-defence with them at all times.

[mccain081]

way to go tootall10142

[closethippy1]

I''m going to make a copy of this article and quietly slip it under my neighboor''s door. He has a nasty pitbull he has to hold back with all his might everyt time that dog starts barking and jumping like crazy at me.
One of these days that leash is going to break and that dog is going to cut me into little pieces.

[carlylaine]

bud28dy: Whipple was the woman who died...Knoller is the lawyer who''s now in jail.

[chris32324]

she was a total wack job,with any luck she ll die in prison.

[imotorist]

The expression on her face says it all. She got what she deserved. No! She should have gotten a stiffer sentence.

[mediabrat60]

Does anyone even remember that story? Boy I do! The whole thing was really quite bizarre, admitting that she herself had been sexually gratified by the dog!
It wasn''t the first time they had problems with the dogs back then.

[rational_1]

I''''m going to make a copy of this article and quietly slip it under my neighboor''''s door. He has a nasty pitbull he has to hold back with all his might everyt time that dog starts barking and jumping like crazy at me.
One of these days that leash is going to break and that dog is going to cut me into little pieces.
Posted by closethippy1 at 07:36 AM : Sep 23, 2008

Hope you survive your visit to your neighbour''s property!! If the mutt is let loose in his backyard you might consider tossing over some strychnine-laced meatballs. Illegal but quite thoroughly preemptive. You might also consider carrying Mace.

[wietop]

I am more concerned about the depravity of the dog owner. How can one human being watch another being viciously attacked? It just speaks to our nation''s love affair with violence and shows we have become desensitized to it.

[dooddad]

Living in San Francisco, I''ve followed this story closely, since the tragic incident. This woman is, indeed, a nut job and received an appropriate sentence.

HOWEVER, what has happened to our system when it takes SEVEN YEARS to resolve what was, in fact, a fairly clear-cut case? And, how much to you suppose all of this cost us? To me, that is the real story here. And,

[usclimey]

This woman never showed any remorse and decidedly got what she deserved. I remember Law and Order did a thinly veiled version of this story - the dog owner was a lawyer for the prisoner running the dog ring in that case. She went to prison also.

As for the two idiots on here promoting their wild west gun-toting agenda - if you really think you can draw, aim and fire in the time it takes a pit-bull to run 20 ft and jump at your throat you''re really living in macho la-la-land and you''re a danger to all around you.

[kuei12]

"She has blamed the victim and has held her dogs in higher regard than humans,"

Why wouldn''t she hold the dogs with higher regards than humans? The justice system does. Animals have much more rights than humans.

[joeybergas]

yeah this *** deserves to die....stupid white trash, giving us a bad name

[kemetorigin]

what has happened to our system when it takes SEVEN YEARS to resolve what was, in fact, a fairly clear-cut case? And, how much to you suppose all of this cost us?
Posted by DoodDad at 08:49 AM : Sep 23, 2008

I couldn''t agree with you more. This is ridiculous. Why we don''t have swift justice continues to behoove me. I am just glad that a dog owner is being held responsible for these horrible dogs.

[sunspro]

Hope she rots in prison. Didn''t even help during the attack? Sounds like the Superior Court judge got it right.

[TommyCraig]

At one time, I worked in a job where I visited homes in the inner city. Many of the residents had dogs to protect themselves from intruders. Great idea, however the breeds of dogs that they had were of the extremely viscious type. They considered Pit bulls, Rottweillers, and chows as great protectors as well as good family pets. I don''t know how many times I''ve heard someone say that these dogs are so good with kids. I think what they don''t understand is that these dogs when angered (can occur from a tail pull, etc.) attack in a vicious manor. These are not dogs for the family. We have had attacks in our city on kids walking across parks. Responsibility on the owner of these types of dogs should be similar to leaving a loaded gun in reach of kids.

[godseyesore-2009]

The concept of "justice" in America''s system is ludicrous on many levels. Money drives it all and consequently, lengthly trials where in lawyers soak it up.

[barbaraf4]

I remember this case. She claimed that the victim''s perfume was to blame for the attack. Sounds like a standard rape defense.

[aaabee-2009]

A precedence-setting case for the betterment of society.

And, kuei12, the dog was destroyed.

Animals are not endowed with a conscience and simply act on training and instinct. Animals can be trained to be vicious, such training usually borders on abuse of the animal.

The responsibility belongs on the humans. We are the ones with a supposed sense of right and wrong, and we can see by this case how a person puts that sense to little use.

Laws protect animals from abuse. Laws are a voice for those who have no voice themselves.

[koukla50]

Maybe when she''s in prison and the guards have attack dogs, they can let them loose on her and she''ll see what it feels like to be attacked and have no one help you.

This woman is a screwball and although she''s got to be nuts, I''m glad they didn''t go with a diminished capacity defense and she''s getting what she deserves.

[thevicar1]

Maybe when shes in prison and the guards have attack dogs, they can let them loose on her and shell see what it feels like to be attacked and have no one help you ------------------------------------------------------ Posted by KOUKLA50


Maybe a relative or friend of yours will end up in prison someday, and get their eyes poked out with sharp, pointy sticks.


If your idea of American prisons is a bunch of sick guards setting viscious dogs loose on prisoners, you either watch too much TV, or you are simply an idiot.

[thevicar1]

Hope she rots in prison ------------------------------------------------------ Posted by SUNSPRO



You can be pretty sure that her cellmate doesnt share that hope.

[blackyowe]

I think the best thing would be feed this creep to lions.

[love4all2]

these two belong in prison. I am glad the reinstated the murder charge on her. these types of dogs are unacceptable in a small apartment were they can get at other people. not like norman the cat right vicar?

[thevicar1]

The ONLY reason Marjorie Knoller got the sentence she did is because she is SHORT, and UNATTRACTIVE! (and we only put human dogs in prison in the U.S.)

If she were purdy, like that bombshell blonde teacher in Florida who likes to nail her 15-year-old students, she would NVER see prison time!

[tireslinger]

By far, it is not the Pits, Sheperd, Rottweillers, Chows...etc., that are dangerous. The dangerous ones are the (I''ll be nice here...etc.), stupid idiots, who get them! They don''t know/care about training, a dog''s nature, the dog itself, much less the people that have to be around the dog.

Margorie Knoller got exactly what she deserved. I have not sympathy at all, for her.

As a responsible dog owner of two, I hope that this sets a precendent: if this sort of justice can occur in CA, then it can occur in other states. To irresposible owners all over the country, if you don''t take the time and energy to train your dog(s) properly, and take measures to keep them controlled at ALL times, then you too, could possible be sitting one day, in a similiar sort of facility as Knoller.

[nwarky1]

Anybody including somebody that loves and treats their dogs nicely is an idiot if they think their nice Pitbull will not attack. Pitbulls have been bred to catch ever since there have been Pitbulls. There is a rigger in their mind that tells them to catch, just the same as there is a trigge in a rabbits mind that tells him to run. It is just a matter of time with all of them before that trigger goes off. Hopefully it is not when somebodies child runs across in front of them, or when some lady walks by and her gown flutters, or some other seemingly innocent gesture is made by somebody not even thinking about the dog sitting watching. Hunting dogs should not be allowed in town. If they are there will be problems. They are what they are. If you brought a bear into town, you would get the same results. Eventually somebody would get hurt.

[p1tey1]

Why are people talking about pit bulls? The dogs in this case were PRESSA CANARIO''S!!! Anyway, Marjorie Knoller got EXACTLY what she deserved. She and her husband had some sort of sick, perverted, relationship with those dogs. They knew those dogs were capable of killing someone. The woman previously cared for the dogs WARNED them!!!

[nwarky1]

To put it politely, if you have 30 years experience dealing with large dog breeds, you should be trying to be part of the solution, but here you are trying to be part of the problem by telling folks that they are just big ole loving dogs that somebody mistreated, or didn''t know how to handle. When anybody with half sense about animals knows these dogs whether Pit Bull, Pressa Canario, Doberman, Rotweiler, etc., etc., are bred to be catch dogs, watch dogs, attack dogs, etc., etc., etc....And dogs in general have an inert gene that tells them to bite instead of flee........ If you or anybody else wants one that will not bite, you should go down to Wal-Mart or Target and buy a nice pink one with nice fuzzy tail, and a pretty little 5 cent chain around his neck..... If people like you keep telling these idiots around town that these are really sheep in wolves clothing, we are going to keep reading about the idiots going to jail because they tried unsuccessfully to make a sheep out of a wolf.....

[mjm117]

Its the dogs that loose in the end, because of bad owners.


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Posted by zoe2006 at 12:10 PM : Sep 23, 2008

Yeah, it''s the dogs that loose in the end. YOU MORON. First off, yer dumm. Second off, yu ned to ficks tha porchlite on yer trailer. Third off, I think the lady who died really lost???

[love4all2]

mjm117 you just can''t get enough can you? these dogs should have never been kept in an apartment in the first place. big dogs like this need freedom to rome. this lady was an idiot and she deserves just what she got. I do feel sorry for the dogs because they had bad owners who did not care for them as they should have. they ended up dying because the owners were negligent..unlike Norman the cat

[mjm117]

mjm117 you just can''''t get enough can you? these dogs should have never been kept in an apartment in the first place. big dogs like this need freedom to rome. this lady was an idiot and she deserves just what she got. I do feel sorry for the dogs because they had bad owners who did not care for them as they should have. they ended up dying because the owners were negligent..unlike Norman the cat


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Posted by love4all2 at 12:45 PM : Sep 23, 2008


Love4all2! My favorite little b*tch! Good morning to you.

My point was this, the person that really lost was the woman who got mauled. PERIOD. I don''t feel bad for dogs that bit this woman 70 times. Did the dog owners have some fault in that by keeping them in an apartment? Sure. But these dogs died because they mauled a woman and there is someone on here saying that the dogs really lost out here? Get a freakin life.

[curlzz-2009]

Do you think it might be a better idea if people starting raising ducks and chickens for pets instead of cats and dogs? Clearly people can''t handle this much responsiblity or there wouldn''t be so many arguments on what type of breed may or may not kill a human, who should and who shouldn''t own such an animal, ect.

Get a grip people. I vote for Farrets of the Future!

[mjm117]

Get a grip people. I vote for Farrets of the Future!


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Posted by curlzz at 12:52 PM : Sep 23, 2008


Love it curlzz. I will support your cause. People are dumb. Animals are dumber. When you have dumb and dumber you have a very funny movie. But not funny in real life. We should just have animals to butcher and eat as meat. Maybe more cows and chickens.

[mjm117]

Get a grip people. I vote for Farrets of the Future!


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Posted by curlzz at 12:52 PM : Sep 23, 2008


Love it curlzz. I will support your cause. People are dumb. Animals are dumber. When you have dumb and dumber you have a very funny movie. But not funny in real life. We should just have animals to butcher and eat as meat. Maybe more cows and chickens.

[curlzz-2009]

Love it curlzz. I will support your cause. People are dumb. Animals are dumber. When you have dumb and dumber you have a very funny movie. But not funny in real life. We should just have animals to butcher and eat as meat. Maybe more cows and chickens.


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Posted by mjm117 at 12:54 PM : Sep 23, 2008

Well, if you want to add a little religion spice to the animal rights mixing bowl, God put animals on earth to eat, not to have as pets anyhow. So yes, raise them and eat them. Period.

[mjm117]

Well, if you want to add a little religion spice to the animal rights mixing bowl, God put animals on earth to eat, not to have as pets anyhow. So yes, raise them and eat them. Period.


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Posted by curlzz at 12:58 PM : Sep 23, 2008



Well curlzz, I''m not a religious man myself...but I do love me a rib eye!